Refined Gem

Have you ever seen a field of crops that have been pruned? Was it green and lush? I bet not! Today we reflect on how God initiates or allows seasons of pruning when he sees we are fruitful...Say that again?? We look at what to do in that season and what to expect from God when He changes the season. ( Scripture Reference: John 15:1-8, Joel 2:25-26,Songs of Solomon 2:11-13)

In a race,one's pace may get affected. Perhaps by a false start, maybe an injury,being shoved off the track by another. Just like the race of life, we might in some cases need God's divine speed as a boost. We reflect on how Elijah supernaturally ran faster than the chariots of Ahab. Scripture references:1 King's 18, James 5:17,Psalms 29:18.

Hey everyone and welcome Back! This is just a brief notification that we will be resuming this Sunday 18th August 2024. We are excited and looking forward to gleaning from scriptures together! Stay tuned!

Happy Easter! Jesus is risen! God loved you and I so passionately that He gave His only son to die to have us back from the hold of sin. We reflect today on the much His death and rising up again means for us! (John 3:16, Genesis 3, Mathew 27&28,Colossians 1&2, Ephesians 1,Galatians 3:13, Numbers 22, John 19:23-24)

Is it possible for us to see things as God sees? We reflect today on how God can give us the ability to see if we ask. It will make a difference in how we live our lives. Elisha was all calm as he could see the horses and chariots of fire sent by the Lord and who were much more than the armies of the king of Assyria. His servant could only see with his physical eyes until Elisha prayed for God to...

Welcome back! Have you ever seen a leaping calf? The cute animal jumps as of it's stepping on some electric wires and as if its head is jamming to some music 😉. God delights in us having that kind of joy leading us to leap like such calves. We draw lessons from David on secrets to experiencing joy that knows no boundaries . (Malachi 4:2,Psalms 16, 2 Peter 1:3)

Our podcast today is slightly different:-)...Sometimes we just need someone to hold our hand and agree with us in prayer. We take some time today to pray about rest and God's promises over our lives as God spoke to the children of Israel. (Joshua 21:44-45) Be blessed!

We reflect on what happens when we pray and how we should pray. We partner with God especially when we tell God back His word in our time of prayer. His angels hearken to the voice of His word. (Acts 12:12-19,Daniel 10, Mathew 6:5-7,Psalms 103:20)

Proverbs 18:16-A man’s gift makes room for him And brings him before great men. We reflect on a gift which God can bestow on someone over and above the gifts that are easily seen by others. This is the unseen gift that can take one before the king. Perhaps what then sets us apart amongst many gifted people. David was gifted in playing the harp but there were possibly other harp players in Israel b...

We continue our reflection on friendship with God and draw lessons from the life of Daniel. He put his life on the line backed only by his confidence in God. That not only would God reveal to him King Nebuchadnezzar's dream but also give him the interpretation. God who is all knowing is a dependable friend and we need no protocols to approach Him. (Daniel 1& 2,Hebrews 4:16,1 John 5:14)

It sounds easier to say that God is " my friend" but it's a greater privilege when one is referred to as " The friend of God " like He did Abraham. It means Abraham was in a class of his own & had a  deeper exclusive relationship with God. We reflect on how we too can get there. A place where God enjoys our friendship as well & shares His heart with us. (Genesis 15,James 2:21-23,Genesis 18:7,John...

The beginning of new year gives us an opportunity to dream again. We can however be settled on what we achieved or what went well in the past year and we settle. We reflect today on what Paul shared with us about pressing towards the mark. We learn how we can choose to forget what's behind us and press on for more. To be better versions of ourselves in God. We will also consider how God desires fo...

Happy New year! Best wishes from Refined Gem. We value each of you that listens to us. May these words in Revelations 21:5 characterise your new year! And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. Hope to be back soon. Stay blessed!

We are slowing down even as we come to the end of this year. As we relax and just take it easy, this is also a season God desires for us to keep watch and to be alert. Over Christmas,surely ? Yes,because it's when we slumber that we can easily loose what we have laboured for spiritually during the year. Habbakuk 2:1,1 Kings 3:16-28,Mathew 13:24-26,Jeremiah 29:13, Ecclesiastes 3:11.

Welcome back! Today's message is for anyone that chooses not to settle for less than what God has for them or says about them. Pharaoh negotiated with Moses for him to accept less than what God had said. He refused to let the children go,and only the men were to be freed from Egypt and after two plagues he still refused to release the wealth of the Israelites! We have to demand in prayer all that...

Can we easily miss hearing God's voice if he speaks in a way that we are not familiar with? We reflect today on how God can choose to speak in a still small voice and other times He thunders so powerfully. The guide for us is our relationship with Him. The more time we spend with God the more assured we will be when He speaks in a way that we are not used to. (Isaiah 30:21, 1 Kings 19:11-12,Revela...

Which of your hands is stronger? The right one or the left one? David in Psalms 16:8 helps us visualise how in setting God before us( infront of us) and because He is at our right hand, we shall not be moved. How He upholds us with His right hand in Isaiah 41:10 So from these two verses we reflect on what God's right hand is, what He does for us and what we find in Him at His right side. (Psalms 1...

Welcome back! We reflect on faithfulness today. Can God call you faithful? He has given us gifts to serve others and as His trustees. We reflect on three servants given talents according to their abilities before their master left. While two made returns equal to the talents they received,one did nothing- zero returns! We draw lessons on faithfulness as relates to gifts given to us by our LORD. (M...

We reflect today on one of the many unusual instructions God gave as a victory strategy. This was the capture of the city of Jericho. The Children of Israel only did a march,well 13 times on 7 consecutive days and then made a loud shout .That is all it took for a fortified city wall to come crumbling down! Some of God's unusual instructions call for us to exercise our faith because if we rationali...

We reflect today on how God leads us to new seasons of growth and gives us a different meal. Just like the weaning of a child who then quietly rests in its mother's arms, so can we. It's the same way the Lord as a shepherd leads His sheep to green pastures and beside still waters. He has beautiful thoughts towards us and is perfecting everything that concerns us. Will you respond to His invitation...

God has laid out for us a divine order. On the family front,church,even in Him being a triune God. We reflect on John's reply to his disciples. He knew his place and so when his disciples came to tell him how Jesus was baptising people,he was quick to point out that- He( Jesus) must increase but he( John) must decrease. He wasn't equal to Jesus,he had only been sent to prepare the way for Him. Kno...

Did you know that words are a type of record? That speaking negatively or having negative words spoken over us remain a written archive and therefore we must erase or blot out such negative handwiting? In such a redeeming way, God has given us the power to write and rewrite beautifully when we use scriptures to speak over our lives and our loves ones. We reflect on what King David said- my tongue...

We continue to study passages about people in the old testament who hosted the ark of the covenant. This symbolised the presence of God. We will see how we can not afford to be casual - why Uzzah died .That this was also the reason the Israelietes lost the battle to the Philistines and which event saw Eli and his sons die on the same day. (1 Samuel chapters 4-7, 1 chronicles chapters 13-16, Prover...

Is it possible for us to host God? Does that then mean going to great lengths to host him and does he expect us to prepare as such? We consider two sisters, Martha and Mary. Despite Jesus being such a special guest, Mary did nothing but sit at His feet. Her sister tried to play the good host but was distracted with the preparations. Jesus applauded Mary. We reflect on ways we can practically not o...

Is it possible for an ordinary day to be marked by the Lord in His book as our date with destiny? Could also what may seem like a loss not be a loss at all but only a divinely orchestrated event to inch you closer to what God has in mind for you? That not only do you find what seemed as lost but also take hold of alot more that God has kept for you. We explore how Saul was having a normal day & we...